Purpose. What is it? What is mine? That has been a question that has been on my mind ever since I finished my marathon in November. Maybe it’s at the forefront of my thoughts because I’m trying to fill a void. Trying to figure out what my next step is, that next goal. As someone who always seems to have a plan for once I don’t feel like I do and it leaves me a little unsettled, anxious and asking myself multiple times a day what is my purpose. Why am I here, what should I be doing…AND THEN I try to take a step back and tell myself God has a plan and lean into my faith. It will lead me to wher ..read more

I took up running years ago, while I was on the track & field team in high school, I wouldn’t say I was a runner, I was part of the shot put and disc section of the team and I only ran when the coaches “made” us. But when I started running in my adult years, I found a sense of stress relief, freedom and strength during sucky times. For probably the last 8 years or so I’ve had completing a full marathon on my bucket list but never really thought I would pursue it or be so determined to accomplish a physically grueling task such as the one I am currently in. The longest run I’ve ever complet ..read more

There are a couple more days left in the BigWigs Fundraiser for Susan G. Komen. This year I’ve accepted the challenge to wear my pink wig around town to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. This cause is near to me as my Mom and Aunt have both had to battle this horrible disease. Photo by RB Photography The BigWigs campaign engages corporate and community leaders from across the region to compete for the title of “BiggestWig” by being the top fundraiser during the one week campaign, March 14-20th. When you donate you are making a difference for breast cancer patients everywhe ..read more

Challenging that is the word I would use to describe the year 2022 for me. For someone who strives for professional success and always looking to grow in my career I’ve been pretty disappointed and set-back this past year. A lot of things were out of my control and I had to roll with the tides that felt like they came daily. However, with adversity comes strength, resilience, learning lessons and the ability to test yourself in what I hope to call a once in a lifetime situation. And for the lessons I’ve learned that is one thing I’m thankful for. With the challenges came a lot more stress and ..read more

It’s crazy to think the last blog post I have on here is from March of this year. Life has been crazy and I haven’t had the time I’ve wanted to spend on my blog or sharing content. But today, I’m back and I’m sharing a special trip I took with my sister, Amber, back in August. It was our first sister trip and our first time going to a National Park. I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors and being in nature and since Covid I find the time I enjoy the most is when I’m outside and not being connected to technology. Upper Emerald Pools Trail Amber and I flew into Vegas and took the short drive to Utah ..read more

Photo courtesy of The Bakers Men Buffalo Persistent, creative, fun, self-taught, kind, and organized, these are just a few of the many traits that describe Brian Muffoletto and Nick Napierala, who make up The Bakers Men Buffalo . Together for seven years, they both are school teachers by day (Brian, a 2nd Grade Teacher at Eggert Rd Elementary in Orchard Park and Nick, an Elementary Art Teacher at Elma and Wales in Iroquois) and creative cookie masters by night. “Creativity can be found in any aspect of your life” Catch my story with them below on how The Bakers Men Buffalo got started and wha ..read more

Today is International Women’s Day and 2022's theme is Break the Bias. From the International Women’s Day website let’s: Celebrate women's achievement. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality. I have met some remarkable women over the years, especially when it comes to my blog interviews. Today I wanted to highlight some of them because in my eyes they are shining a light and making an impact on people and in the community. Most of these women are people who I’ve worked with, some are friends, and I’ve seen first hand the work they are doing and the positive influence they’ve ..read more

Whew, it’s been a while since I last wrote a blog post on here. To say the second half of 2021 was devoted to mostly working is not healthy or right but it’s true. And in the spare time I had, I was spending it catching up with my family and friends. 2021 was a good year, but an anxious one. Another year that taught me lessons, made me stronger and wiser, brought new memories with loved ones that I will cherish and it also brought me new friendships. It also has been a year of reflection, like many have been. If there is one thing I’m learning with time, it’s how important it is for me to be a ..read more

On a warm summer, Sunday morning I paid a visit to Kin Loch Farmstead to meet up with Alex Plante, owner and creator of this beautiful space. I learned about Kin Loch late last summer through a social media post and had put it on my bucket list to visit this summer. Alex and her husband, Ryan moved to Western New York from New York City and opened Kin Loch in the Spring of 2018. What they have created in a short 3 years is nothing short of magical. From the lavender fields to the beautiful barn that can host any sort of event or get together, the farm brings nothing but peacefulness, calming ..read more

I’m a lover of all things outdoors and my love for the parks grew stronger this past year when all I felt comfortable doing during the pandemic was taking walks and hikes. Give me some fresh air + green space and it just fuels my soul, calms my nerves and gives me some peace + clarity. Fast forward to the Fall of 2020 when I came across a social media post from Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy (BOPC) looking for young professionals in the community to join their new initiative - Young Professionals for Olmsted Parks (YPOP), I immediately applied hoping that I would be accepted into the progra ..read more